Chapter 12
Felipe walked to where the horses were. There, he untied a beautiful brown mare and tethered her to the carriage. Diego patiently waited until his father had also taken his place in the carriage. More guests were coming out. A man grinned and slapped Diego on the shoulder. "Watch out, don Diego. Don Carlos may have given the alcalde some ideas." The man and his companion burst into laughter at the mere thought.
Mendoza walked over, having heard don Carlos' remark as well. Diego decided to respond to the matter as nonchalantly as possible, but his heart was beating like wildfire. Everyone thought it was a joke and had no idea how close don Carlos was to the truth. "Sergeant, have you come to arrest me? According to don Carlos, I seem to resemble a certain masked outlaw."
Mendoza shrugged and gave Diego a penetrating look. "The alcalde has already checked the records long ago to find out who Zorro might be. You were never on his list, especially not since the tournament. Besides, we all know that don Carlos spouts all sorts of nonsense when he's drunk."
Relieved that no one seemed to attach any value to the man's words, Diego walked back into the tavern. By now, it was empty except for Victoria and her helpers. He started arranging the chairs and tables while Pilar and Maria cleared empty glasses. Victoria appeared to be in the kitchen.
When he finished the tasks he could think of, he walked towards the kitchen, where the women were still busy with the final dishes. He stood in the doorway, where the curtain hung, and asked with a slight nervousness in his voice, "Can I do anything else to help?"
"Don Diego?" Victoria looked surprised when she saw him. Her heart skipped a beat, but she tried to hide her feelings. She had thought he had left with his father to take don Carlos home. "Oh, I thought you had left."
"I've placed all the tables and chairs back, as I believe they always are. I've securely closed the shutters and locked the front door. I've also extinguished the candles except for the ones on the bar. Hopefully, that's all right," Diego said with a slight tremor.
Victoria could feel the tension between them. She felt attracted to the handsome, friendly man. "Muchas gracias, don Diego. That's very kind of you. The three of us will manage from here."
Diego nodded, disappointed. He wished he could come up with an excuse to stay a bit longer. "Very well. When you're sure there is nothing else for me to do, I'll better go." He turned around and walked towards the back door, but before he disappeared, he looked at Victoria one more time, deep into her eyes. He hoped she would smile at him.
An uncomfortable silence followed, during which Maria and Pilar exchanged meaningful glances. Both had noticed, in recent weeks, that Victoria reacted differently when Don Diego was in the tavern. They also noticed that the young don visited almost daily and often stayed longer than the usual guests.
Diego broke the silence and walked towards the back door. He stood in the opening and greeted the women with a slight tension in his voice, "Goodnight, señorita's."
To his delight, Diego saw a slight blush appear on Victoria's cheeks. She looked at him, her eyes filled with emotion, before she smiled and softly said, "Goodnight, don Diego."
Diego walked to the side of the tavern to go to the square through the narrow path between the two buildings when he heard his name called by the sweet voice that haunted him in his dreams.
"Don Diego!"
He immediately stopped and saw Victoria's white blouse approaching in the moonlight.
"I wanted to ask your father something. Would you mind asking him if I can borrow a barrel of wine? Tonijght, my stock has dwindled considerably, and I won't have time to travel to Santa Paula until next week to get new supplies. He has lent me a barrel before, and it has never been a problem," she assured the don.
"Señorita, I am sure my father is most willing to help you. Tomorrow morning I will personally bring two barrels."
Without thinking, Victoria replied, "One barrel will be sufficient."
She felt his long fingers tenderly grasp her hand and lift her arm to his mouth. But Diego didn't kiss the top of her hand; he kissed her fingertips. An electric shock shot through Victoria as his soft lips touched her skin. She felt her heartbeat quicken, and her breath caught for a moment. His thumb caressed her knuckles as his warmth engulfed her senses.
"Tomorrow morning, I will personally take care of it and bring a barrel of wine," Diego said, his voice slightly lower and whispering. "Señorita Victoria."
Victoria felt a shiver of excitement run down her spine. She briefly closed her eyes to savor the moment. The way Diego pronounced her name had something irresistible. When he released her hand, she felt an urge to be close to him.
It happened without them realizing it. Diego didn't want to let go of her hand, and Victoria was enchanted by his touch. She knew she had to say something sensible and return to the kitchen, but her legs felt weak under the sizzling tension. As the moon bathed them in a romantic glow, she could feel his proximity like a magnet pulling her towards him.
She tilted her head and felt his breath brush against her cheek. It made her skin tingle with excitement. Victoria moistened her lips, ready to say something, but then she felt the unfamiliar pressure of his lips on hers. A mixture of surprise and desire overwhelmed her senses. She closed her eyes and let herself be carried away by the gentleness and tenderness of his kiss. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her hands trembled as she clung to his shoulder blades, longing for more.
"Wow," Diego said with a voice husky with emotion.
Wow. Was that all that Diego thought about their kiss? For Victoria, it had felt more like WOW!
The spell suddenly got broken. "Victoria!" Someone called her name. It was a female voice, not Diego's. It was one of her helpers. They must be wondering what took her so long.
"I have to get back," Victoria said with regret in her voice.
"Si," Diego agreed. Kissing beautiful women in dark alleys was never his style. But Victoria was not just any woman. She awakened feelings in him that he had never experienced before.
"I'll see you tomorrow. I'll pick you up after the church service for a ride. Remember? And I'll bring the wine as well."
"With all the water troubles and the alcalde, I almost forgot. Yes, I'm looking forward to it," she replied.
"As am I. Adiós, senorita Victoria," Diego said with a gentle smile.
"Adiós, don Diego," she whispered, her heart still in a whirlwind of emotion.
Diego wanted one more tangible farewell before parting ways. He gently took her hand in his again and brought it to his lips. With a tender kiss, he briefly touched her skin, a final display of affection.
Victoria felt a shiver of excitement run through her body at the touch of his lips on her hand. With a mixture of longing and reluctance, she let her hand slip from his grip. She knew she had to go, but her heart begged her to stay with him longer.
"See you tomorrow," she whispered softly, holding his hand kiss in her memory. She turned around and began to slowly walk back to the tavern, leaving her emotions in a tumultuous state.
Diego watched her go, a smile of longing on his face. He knew he would see her again soon, but the time until their next meeting seemed like an eternity.
The following morning, Alejandro and Felipe rode on their horses. Diego drove the carriage with a barrel of wine on it. Don Alejandro used the ride to the pueblo as an opportunity to lecture his son sternly. It all started because Diego had told his father he wanted to travel to San Pecro to buy a telescope.
"You just came back." His father cried. "Couldn't you have brought one of those things from Spain? And besides, what do you need it for?"
Diego looked at his father determinedly. "Father, I can understand the subject might not interest you, but our heaven has always fascinated me. Observing the stars and the moon is like looking out a window to see the universe. It opens up a world of knowledge and wonder. Plus, with a telescope, I can study the movements of the planets even more accurately and maybe make new discoveries!"
Alejandro sighed irritably. He thought it was nonsense that his son attached so much importance to a tool for looking at the sky. "Diego, I would like it if you to show more interest in the developments here in the pueblo. The moon and the stars are far away and have little influence on our daily lives. The actions of Ramon affect us all!"
Diego smiled and shook his head. "But father, you don't understand. The moon is not just a dot of light in the night sky. It affects the tides, the growth of crops, and even the behavior of animals. By studying the sky, we can gain more insight into nature and our own existence."
Alejandro rolled his eyes. He thought it was a nonsense story and became more irritated by his son's determination for his journey and lack of interest in things that actually do matter. "Diego, sometimes I don't understand what you're babbling about. You've always had a quirky view of the world. I had hoped you would show more interest in matters closer to us than the moon."
Deliberately misunderstanding what his father said, Diego responded with some frustration in his voice, "The moon is close and has a larger influence on our existence than you think. As I said before the tides and the moon's position affect life on Earth daily. I just want to learn more about the mysteries of the universe."
By now, they were nearing the pueblo, and don Alejandro stopped his efforts to talk some common sense in his son. "You bring that wine to the tavern, and I'll save you a seat in the church."
Alejandro dismounted his horse as did Felipe. The don took both horses to tie them to the post. Felipe jumped on the carriage, and he and Diego continued their way, unloading the barrel of wine at the tavern. Victoria was waiting for them, and after the barrel was in, Victoria closed the tavern. The three walked towards the church together.
After the service, the four of them walked outside. "Don Alejandro, thank you for lending the wine. I'll make sure you get a new barrel as soon as possible," Victoria said.
"There's no rush," Alejandro replied gallantly.
"I was planning to go to Santa Paula next week anyway," Victoria continued.
Don Alejandro frowned at the idea of Victoria making the dangerous journey to Santa Paula all by herself, especially since the bridge over the ravine had collapsed. He was about to suggest accompanying her when he got a better idea.
"Diego, why don't you take Victoria with you when you go to San Pedro?" Alejandro suggested.
Diego started to protest. He urgently needed to replenish the supply of gunpowder. That was why he had told his father he wanted a telescope. How could he do that if Victoria went with him? "Victoria probably prefers to go to Santa Paula and visit her regular suppliers. The only lens maker I know of in California lives in San Pedro."
Alejandro immediately dismissed the argument. He ignored his son's weak protests and turned to Victoria. "Nonsense. The prices between Santa Paula and San Pedro hardly differ. I think it's an excellent idea. That way, your trip won't be a complete waste of time."
Victoria looked surprised from Diego to Alejandro and felt doubt rising within her. Why was Diego so hesitant? She thought Diego liked her. Did the kiss they had shared yesterday mean nothing to him? It had shaken her world to its core. She did like the idea the don had. Victoria always tried to avoid travelling alone.
"If you don't mind, I would indeed like to take you up on the offer," Victoria said hesitantly. "San Diego is farther than Santa Paula, but I prefer not to travel alone. The roads are becoming less safe."
Diego thought his father and Victoria was absolutely right. No sensible person travelled the roads in California alone. The idea of Victoria travelling to Santa Paula alone did not sit well with him. He would find another way to obtain gunpowder.
"Alright, Victoria. It would be honoured should you consider permitting me to accompany you to San Pedro," Diego said with a touch of sincerity in his voice. Although, for a good observer, his eyes reflected an inner struggle. "I can't imagine nicer company."
Victoria noticed the hesitation in Diego's voice and became even more uncertain. She wondered why he was resisting and what the reason could be.
Don Alejandro paid no attention whatsoever to the inner struggle raging in Diego and Victoria. He clapped his hands. "Great, that's settled then. Victoria, when do you want to go?"
Diego didn't get a chance to speak. His father was determined to let Victoria pick the day. "Let Victoria decide the day, Diego. All you do is loaf around. Victoria is a hardworking businesswoman."
"But Friday is the full moon," Diego complained.
"Diego, really."
"Actually, Friday works best for me," Victoria quickly said when she saw the irritation growing in both Diego and his father.
"So, Friday it is. No more words, Diego. Victoria is a good friend, and friends help each other when needed. By the way, didn't you two have plans for this afternoon? Chop-chop. The day is half gone."
Alejandro watched with satisfaction as Diego helped Victoria into the carriage. He was glad to see that the two of them got along well and hoped that something more would blossom between them. His son needed a little more encouragement in courting. Spain had changed his son. Alejandro couldn't help but conclude that Diego couldn't make a better choice for a daughter-in-law. He had a splendid idea of how to make his approval known to his son.
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Slowly but steadily, the story starts to take shape more and more. The first rough version is nearing its completion. There are even multiple chapters waiting to get translated. I won't make any predictions about how many more chapters I expect to post. I'm always completely off with that anyway, so it wouldn't make any change when I did. However, I would appreciate receiving more encouragement through reviews. Those of you who already did and still do, thank you.
